It Could All Have Been Very Different
by Ellenarnia
Summary: AU for episode 6. After Joan's trial, Roland and Grace are placed in the line of fire.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. I was going to write sooner but my computer became poorly again. After some tender loving care and a debugging programme, the computer felt better and I got to write this. It did give me a bit of time to deliberate over the name though, and I came to this as the best conclusion, although I'm still not sure about it. PM me if you have any better ideas. I hope you like it.**

Disclaimer: I don't own the Crimson Field or any of the characters in it.

It Could All Have Been Very Different

Chapter 1

"The Royal Red Cross," Purbright stated, Margaret patted the medal absent-mindedly "Awarded to you, I believe for distinguished service?"

"For a woman."

He paused for a long moment but started up again abruptly as he had stopped

"Well, this is difficult, concerning as it does, whether Colonel Brett is appropriate to command this hospital in light of recent events. There are crucial issues of security and discipline, and I must compel you both to be honest." He finished

Once again another pause filled the air with tension

"So, Sister Quayle, do you have any cause to doubt the Colonel's judgement on either of these matters?"

Margaret's answer did not come straight away. She knew that what she had to say would be to her advantage. She would perhaps finally get the position that she fully deserved, by telling Colonel Purbright the truth, then followed by a few strategically placed lies to punish both of them, for the injustice she had suffered at their hands.

"I'm afraid, Sir, that I do have doubts about the Colonel, in both of the categories that you mentioned." Margaret started "Although it is hard for me to say so, Sir."

"Sister Quayle, I have asked you to be honest, and that is what I require no matter how hard it might seem at the moment."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to do anything that would be unhelpful towards the war effort. That is to say, if I decided to be dishonest to spare Colonel Brett's feelings and mine, where would we end up? We might have German spies dotted all over the hospital."

"Quite right." He agreed readily, Margaret could see that the seed she had planted was starting to grow. "Please, Sister, keep telling me if you feel that Colonel, is unfit to lead the hospital."

"I would be happy to Sir," she smiled sweetly and continued "The security issues that I have outlined, are not the only ones. The Colonel doesn't seem to care for security at the hospital. He lets people wander into the camp aimlessly. The man and daughter that, Sister Livesey treated her,"

"Jaco Tillens?" Purbright cut in

"Yes, they wandered into the camp and nobody thought to check for any identification, from them."

She concluded her point but he gestured for her to continue.

"He very rarely disciplines the staff. The man hardly ever becomes angry when one of the staff has done anything wrong," Margaret adopted her most sombre tone "nor, might I add, does Matron Carter, Sir. The pair of them brush of anything that is seen as a lack of discipline. Many a time, I have had to discipline the nurses and VAD's."

"Are you saying that Matron Carter is at fault as well?" Purbright inquired

"I do hate to speak ill of her Sir, but I am afraid that I must. She is far too young to lead the hospital. I blame myself entirely, I helped her to train, and I saw her as my protégé, but sometimes protégé's can let you down."

"I always wondered why you were never chosen for the job of Matron. Did Colonel Brett ever explain to you why he didn't choose you?"

"He said, that I was most useful on the wards, I believe." Margaret said cynically

"By your tone, am I to take it that you didn't believe this?"

"I would never question a superior's order or question them, Sir, but there could be other reasons."

"Such as?" he pushed believing he was hitting a good source of information.

"Well…they do say that Colonel Brett and Matron Carter are closer than most."

She placed the words so she sounded subtle, so it took Purbright a time to work out. When he did, his eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open.

"Do you mean, that Colonel Brett is committing adultery, with one of his nursing staff?"

"That would be putting it bluntly Sir."

Purbright was silent for a while longer

"Is there anything more, that you can tell me about Colonel Brett or Matron Carter and their…indiscretions?"

Margaret could certainly see that, everything was going to swing her way in this.

"I told you that I helped, to raise Matron Carter, into a nurse,"

Purbright nodded

"Well I only met her, when she gave birth to a child" she paused for affect "out of wedlock."

The look on Purbright's face, told Margaret that her information had got the affect that she had wanted. Purbright managed to swallow down the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Is there any more to this story?"

"She said, that it was a lover. An Indian man who she knew since she was young but I tended never to believe this story."

"What of the child?"

She paused and tried to make herself sound sorrowful "A tragedy Sir, a still birth."

He looked taken aback at this news

"I think that I've heard enough of this story, thank you Sister."

"Of course, Sir." Margaret dutifully stopped

Purbright was writing furiously on the pad of paper in front of him. After a while he set his pen down and looked back up at Margaret.

"Well, that concludes that. Is there anything else that you wish to say Sister Quayle? Purbright started to conclude

"There is one more thing, Sir. I believe that Colonel Brett has countermanded by your orders."

"How so?" his pen poised in his hand once again

"Well, Sir he wrote out another Blighty ticket, when you rescinded the ticket. I knew it was wrong, that he did this and as the one giving who was trusted by the Colonel to give the ticket, I stopped the insubordination as soon as I could by not handing the ticket to the Lance Corporal."

"Do you any evidence of this?"

"I do in fact Sir." She drew back her cape and pulled the rolled up ticket from her pocket. She unfurled it and walked up to place it on the desk, in front of Purbright."

He looked at it and Margaret saw his face cloud with anger.

"That will be all, Sister Quayle. Thank you for your information, though and I will certainly take all you have said into account. You may go."

She nodded and a smug smirk came over her face as she left.

 **There we go, tell me what you think. Please review and if you have any ideas for a better name, I would really REALLY appreciate it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you, so much for reading and thanks to, tudorrose33, sash queen of the jungle and guest, for reviewing. They really put a smile on my face and inspired my confidence. Here is the next chapter and Roland and Grace will be present in this, I promise.**

Chapter 2

Grace looked through the window to Roland's office. He was looking down at a pile of paperwork and looked like he was going through it. She knew better though. He was wearing the same face he had when she had handed him the telegram about his son. He was grieving but he wasn't sharing it with anyone. She knew that he didn't tell her everything but, she had still thought that he could talk to her about what he was going through. She understood what it was to grieve for a child better than most.

With that thought she made her decision and knocked on his door, without waiting for his command to enter.

He looked up from his paperwork, when she entered and Grace saw that his eyes were red and sore from crying. She closed the door but stayed standing.

"What can I do for you, Matron?" he tried to make his voice sound as normal as he could but there was a crack that was easily recognisable. Grace paused for a moment before she spoke.

"You don't have to pretend with me, Roland. I know that you're hurting." Her voice staying level

His resolve was close to breaking but he kept it up well.

"Did you have something, worthwhile to say, Matron, or did you come here for the sake of lecturing me?" he asked icily, accusing eyes locked on her

Grace was slightly taken aback by his reaction but managed to remain calm.

"I just wanted to comfort you. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"I never asked for your sympathy or your pity!" he told her sharply going back to his work

"I'm not offering either," her calm façade was slipping "I wanted to tell you that you don't need to be alone in your grieving."

He said nothing so she continued

"I know what you're going through."

His head snapped up at her comment, the anger in his eyes was plain to see. He pushed himself up from his chair and advanced, towards her, around the desk. When he was standing directly in front of her, he spoke to her in little more than a whisper but it was filled with malice.

"You've never had children, have you?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat, which had formed thanks to his question. If she told him the truth he would likely see her as the rest of society did. If she didn't, he would keep on letting his grief eat at him from the inside.

"Answer me!" he snarled

"No, I haven't had children." She whispered back. Lying to him would be better. Telling him the truth may mean that he would push her away totally. At least this way she could try to help, even if she didn't succeed.

"Then how the hell do you think you know what I'm going through!" he shouted

"Just because I haven't lost a child, it doesn't mean I haven't lost people I love!" She shouted back at him

There was silence for a while as they just glared at each other. Both had eyes full of fire, anger but underneath there lay hurt and pain.

Her expression softened

"I know that it hurts, I do, truly, but you can't bottle it up." She tried to calm, but feeling such a hypocrite. She had bottled her emotion up when….

"Look at us Roland, look at this situation. You and I are friends and here we are having a shouting match." She placed her hand gently on his arm "This isn't you. The man I know, my friend, has been taken over by grief. By bottling up your grief, it will just come out in explosive moments, like this. Your grief is eating you up from the inside and it won't just hurt you, it will hurt other people too."

Will you let me help you? She pleaded

He said nothing but removed her hand from his arm

"I have work to do, Matron Carter, I suggest you get on with yours." He spoke sharply but the pain was still clear to hear.

Grace felt her anger rise to its full height now; it was hard for her to keep from shouting at him again.

"I am not going anywhere." She said adamantly, taking her place on the opposite side of the desk to him.

He glared at her again

"You can glare at me all you like, but you're not getting rid of me." She retorted, folding her arms over her chest "I am going to sit here until you share your grief with me."

"Well you'll be sitting there for a long time then."

"I don't care how long it takes. I will just sit here until you talk to me."

He looked back at his paperwork and trying to focus. He wasn't very successful. It took him only a minute to become angered by her presence.

"Why do you care so much?"

She didn't answer him just continued staring at him.

"For God's sake woman! Answer the question!" he shouted at her in his frustration at her silence

She raised her eyebrows at him but remained silent.

"This isn't making me want to talk to you. It just wants to make me throw you out of this office, with rather a lot of force!" He said angrily. He waited for a few moments more, expecting her to move or react in some way. When she didn't his anger came rising to the surface. He stood from his desk, went round to her and pulled her from the chair.

"I am giving you one final warning! Leave of your own free will or I will throw you out!"

She was staring at him defiantly, unmoving.

"Right, you asked for it!" he snapped

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the door. In the next moment, both Grace and Roland weren't sure exactly what happened. All they knew was that her hand made sharp contact with his face and his head snapped to the side. He gaped at her after the slap, which she had dealt him and she was in an equal state of shock. After the angry mood that he had been in before, she was sure that he would be angry enough to slap her back. What he did though was a complete surprise. She felt him push her up against the wall of his office and his lips crash into hers. She wasn't sure how to react, at first but her lips melted against his and, they were soon kissing furiously, as he pushed her even harder into the wall. After a while, his lips moved to her neck, his breathing was laboured yet he still kissed her neck, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and across the top of her breasts through her uniform.

Grace suddenly came to her senses and pushed him away. She loved him, yes, but she couldn't let him do anything that he would regret later on. He stumbled away from her.

"Grace?" he looked her, eyes full of questions that she knew that she didn't have the strength to answer for him.

"Don't say anything that you are going to regret, Roland." She stated as calmly as she could. With that she walked from the office, without another word.

 **Thanks for reading and please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another Chapter!**

Chapter 3

Grace was still reeling from the kiss but she walked the small distance to her office as calmly as she could. She sat at her desk and took deep breaths trying to calm herself. It would be best to avoid Roland now. She couldn't go back to him until he had full recovered from his grief. That might take so time though. She couldn't help him if, she had to avoid him. She just have to wait and see what happened. She checked the time quickly. She was due on the wards for her rounds! She stood quickly and exited the office.

She walked to the wards inspecting each Sister's notes of the day and if there had been any emergencies during that time. She had spent little time on the wards recently, a lot of her time being spent on Joan Livesey's trial. Joan had been a good nurse, and it was a shame that she had been removed from the hospital. Many of the younger nurses and VAD's had looked up to her, and her fellow Sister's had respected her. Her presence on the wards had made the patients more relaxed and her joking manner had put everyone in the hospital at ease. Mainly Grace had seen her as a valued friend, who had shared her values about the management of the patients and that the VAD's should be helped to become better nurses. Across the ward Grace spotted Margaret. She had swept in and then promptly swept out again, without so much as a word, but as Margaret had spotted her, Grace thought, that she had seen a flicker of a smirk or a smug smile cross her lips. It gave her an uneasy feeling. When Margaret smiled at her, it was never a good thing, quite the opposite in fact.

On the walk back to her office, after checking that all the wards were in order, Grace started thinking how she could help Roland, without it knowing that she was behind it. There was no proper way to help him without talking to him and making him see, that it was better not to bottle all the emotions and grief, that he was feeling, up inside. It would most likely kill him instead of help him. The loss of a family member or friend was painful, but when it is a child then that pain is intensified by several hundred times.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she got to her office and saw that the door had been flung open and her office was filled with half a dozen soldiers, searching through its contents. Her eyes then settled on Purbright, who was sitting behind the desk.

"Matron Carter."

...

After Grace left his office, Roland had sat back at his desk with a heavy heart. He knew that what Grace had said was right. He needed to stop bottling up his grief, the way that he did. Ultimately, it would drive a wedge between, himself and the people that he loved and he didn't have many of those left. The only people he truly loved were, Freddie, Alexander and Grace. Now, Freddie was dead and he scared Grace away with his anger and what he had done.

Perhaps if he had a proper wife he could speak to, he wouldn't feel so wretched, but Hetty had never been a true wife to him. She had never loved him and he had never loved her. They had made that very clear from the first days in their marriage. She had, had countless affairs with any number of officers that he knew, so Roland could never help but question if Alexander and Freddie were really his. He had never sought comfort from another woman but when he had met Grace, he had felt that she understood him and could comfort him, the way a wife could. He knew that he had loved her from their first conversation. She had been more of a wife to him in those 10 minutes than Hetty had been in the last 18 years of their marriage. So the first time he had home leave, he filed for divorce on the grounds of infertility. Thankfully Hetty had accepted his terms and taken what he was prepared to give her.

He knew that there was nothing stopping him, from telling Grace his true feelings but he would have to think carefully about what he would say when he next saw her. The kiss had confused him. She had kissed him back, yes, but then pushed him away and told him not to say anything that he would regret. Did she think that he regretted kissing her? If she did then he would just have to show her, that she was wrong. That he could never regret, would never regret, loving her.

He was broken form his train of thought, by the door flying open and Purbright marching in with half a dozen soldiers, who started to search his office.

"Colonel Purbright, what can I do for you, Sir?" he jumped up from the desk, saluting his superior

The man didn't reply just started a search of the office with the rest of soldiers. Roland looked at all of them in utter amazement wondering what in the world he had done now.

"Can I have an explanation, to why you are searching my office before you destroy the place?"

Purbright turned, slowly, to look at him but didn't answer him, just holding his gaze without saying a word. The silence was beginning to unnerve Roland. He had already had to deal with a silent and rather angry Grace but a silent and certainly angry Purbright, was too much for him to handle in one day.

"What have I done now?" Roland was desperate for some kind of answer from the man.

When Purbright did speak, Roland could tell that he was angry.

"You have countermanded a senior officers order." He said slowly

Roland scoffed at the accusation, "When?"

The man didn't answer Roland's question.

"Lieutenant Colonel Brett I am putting you on a charge for insubordination."

"What?!" Roland exclaimed. He couldn't believe it; he was being arrested.

The next thing Roland new, he was being pulled from the office and dragged towards the quarters, where Joan had been kept throughout the duration of her trial. He tried to resist the arrest but the men were much younger and stronger than he was, so his efforts were useless. The door was quickly opened and he was shoved inside the quarters. He banged against the door and called out.

"It's no use, you know." A voice behind him said.

He whipped round at the sound of the voice. He was faced with Grace huddled in the corner of the small bunk. He saw that she had been stripped of her cape, medals and headdress. She looked terrified.

 **Thanks for reading and please review**


	4. Chapter 4

**Again, thank you all for your reviews and I really do appreciate them. They brighten my day up. Warning: small case of language (just the once)**

Chapter 4

Roland kept his eyes fixed on Grace. She looked, so much younger than he had ever seen her. So much more vulnerable and afraid. He swallowed and thought of their situation. The kiss they had shared, was definitely going to affect how they dealt with the situation that they were in. There was a loud crash from outside and the sound of footsteps walking, along the wooden boards of the hospital walkways. Roland hardly noticed them though, as the thing that drew his attention was the whimper that came from the corner. He looked over to see Grace pull her knees further into her chest and lean against the wooden wall.

He made a quick decision and walked slowly over to the bunk. He sat down next to her carefully, trying not to spook her. Grace looked up, when she felt the mattress dip under his weight, but didn't meet his gaze. When Roland placed his arm around her shoulders, she finally met his eye, and he saw the fear that she had endeavoured to keep hidden. He pulled her closer into side, as her head fell onto his shoulder. Roland kept his eyes fixed on his shoes, but his eyes were drawn away from them, by the landing of a tear on his jacket. His gaze was then drawn to Grace's tear-stained face, and the unshed tears that were still glistening in her eyes.

Roland dug in his pocket to find a handkerchief, which he could give to Grace. When he found one, instead of just handing it to her, he turned her to face him, and started to wipe her tears away, as gently as he could. He dabbed delicately at her eyes, while giving her a little smile, encouraging her to return it. When he had finished, he tapped the end of her nose with the handkerchief, resulting in Grace to laugh slightly and a small hiccup to emerge. He laughed along with her, and drew her into his embrace, holding her tightly as though he was never going to let her go.

He finally let her go but still kept his arm around her.

"Do you have any idea why we are here Grace?" he asked breaking the tension that the silence had created

She shook her head "All I was told, was that I was being arrested for insubordination and countermanding high commands orders."

"That's along the lines of what Purbright said to me."

"Well, at least we know who's behind it."

"I would rather know why he wants to get rid of us."

"Isn't that obvious?" she asked him

"Not to me." Roland insisted

"It's because, we did countermand orders from high command." She explained

He looked at her in astonishment

"When?"

"The Blighty ticket that you wrote out for Prentiss." Grace said simply

"Grace, you know Prentiss needed to go home!" he exclaimed angrily jumping up from the bunk

She flinched at the angry tone in his voice

"I'm not disputing that he did, Roland" she argued "but Purbright will. As far as he sees it, he rescinded that ticket and you countermanded his orders by writing out another one."

He looked back at her and saw that she was doing her best to stay calm, under the circumstances. Him shouting at her certainly wouldn't help.

"I'm sorry." He apologised, slumping down in a chair "I shouldn't have shouted at you. It's not your fault"

"It isn't yours either." She stated, walking over to the table where he was sat and laying a reassuring hand on his arm.

"It is though."

"No, it isn't." she said firmly

"How can you say that?" he questioned "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here. You'd be in your office carrying on as normal, or on the wards, doing your job. If it wasn't for me you'd still have your job. We'll probably be shot, Grace and if not that, then we'll be sent home in disgrace."

"That isn't your fault." She insisted again

"Then whose fault is it?" he asked, pacing around the room "God? The Army? We can't run away from what we've done. I've got us into this, me alone, and I'm going to make sure that Purbright knows that you, had nothing to do with it."

Once he was finished, he stopped pacing and stood facing her. If Roland had seen the anger I her eyes, perhaps he would have been able to stop what came next. She walked up to him calmly. She then raised her hand to his cheek, but then brought it away and slapped him, again. It was much harder, than before and Roland stumbled away from her holding his cheek.

"For pity sake Roland! Stop being such a bloody martyr all the time!" she shouted at him

"Grace, I only want to protect you." He said softly

"Well, don't! If you're responsible, then so am I, and I can fend for myself!"

The look on his face was one of shock and remorse. He had only wanted to protect the woman that he loved and he got this kind abuse. He met her eyes and saw that some of her anger had left her. She didn't look she had the anger to slap him again.

The look on his face made her expression soften.

"Oh, Roland, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to slap you. I just can't bear you taking all the blame on your own shoulders, because you think that you're responsible."

She went up to him and pulled him into her arms. He collapsed into her, enjoying the closeness. His thoughts then went back to Freddie. He could be joining his poor so soon. Who would receive the news of his death then? Probably Hetty, but she wouldn't care. He felt the tears, which he had been holding onto, start to make tracks down his face and he watched as they fell into the dark grey of Grace's dress. Grace felt his tears fall onto her shoulder and pulled him closer, settling his head on her shoulder, stroking his hair to try and calm him.

When he had calmed Roland pulled back from her. She smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back but placed his hand back to his cheek, as pain shot through it.

"Oh, don't be a baby." Grace laughed

"I'm not! It really hurt!" he exclaimed

"It wasn't as hard as before, surely?"

"No, it was much harder!"

"Can you forgive me?"

"I suppose, as long as it doesn't become a habit." He said cheekily

"Well, don't make a habit of being a martyr or annoying me and you will be just fine."

He laughed at her joking tone, but yet again, a jolt of pain went through his cheek.

"Come here." she told him.

He walked over to her tentatively.

"I'm not going to slap you again, I promise."

"I can never be too sure." He explained, walking up to her until he was in front of her.

"Now," she began "where does it hurt?"

He pointed to the centre of his cheek. She moved his hand away and pressed a kiss to his cheek, much to his surprise.

"There, that will help it heal." Grace smiled

"The other one hurts as well, you know." Roland insisted, pointing to it

"You've a nerve, haven't you?" she joked but still pressed a kiss to his other cheek

"Now, that I've taken care of you, what are we going to do about this arrest?" she asked seriously

"We are going to do everything we can to survive."

 **Thanks for reading, and please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear readers, thank you for sticking with me. Life has been a tiny bit hectic but I have another update for you now. Hope you like. We re-join Grace and Roland trying to figure out how they are in their present situation.**

 **Chapter 5**

Roland had started pacing. He was anxious of what was going to happen and how they had come to be here, though all it was doing for Grace, was making her dizzy.

"Oh Roland, for pity sake, sit down." She complained "You're making me dizzy and giving me a headache."

She placed her head in her hands and let out a sigh.

"It relaxes me." He murmured in response

"How?" she exclaimed "That would just make me tenser."

"It gives me an outlet for my energy. If I don't pace, then I will be punching the wall in frustration."

"Well I don't have anything to patch you up, you know. If you hurt yourself then I can't help."

He sat down beside her on the bunk.

"How did Purbright find out?"

"Good question. Only a few people knew about what I did for Prentiss."

"Who knew though?" Grace asked "Could other people have found out about it?"

"If only we knew, then perhaps we would be able to understand."

"It has to be someone who doesn't like us, and they would have to have the time to speak to Purbright."

"Perhaps it was someone who was interviewed about Joan Livesey." Roland suggested

Then the answer hit Grace. Margaret. She had the opportunity and she certainly had enough malice to do it. She was the one who was responsible for what had happened to poor Prentiss. She might even still have the ticket. That would be all that Purbright needed to condemn them. Roland looked up at her and saw that the colour had drained from her face.

"Grace, you're white as sheet." he said concern lacing his voice "What is it?

It took her a moment but she managed to find her voice

"I think I know who told Purbright." She confessed

"Who?"

She raised her head to meet his eyes.

"Margaret." She whispered

"Sister Quayle?" he asked

She nodded by way of response

"Why would she though? She doesn't hate us, does she?" he looked at Grace questioningly

"Roland, you might think you know her but truly, you are very naïve about her character."

"How naïve?" he asked

"You don't know her at all. She can be vindictive and cruel, especially to people that she holds a grudge against and Margaret will hold a grudge for many, many years, believe me."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience." He stated

She looked up at him in alarm.

"What happened?" he asked

She didn't say anything but shook her head, like she was trying to shake him off. Unfortunately he wasn't to be deterred.

"Grace, if I know how she works I can try and stop her. Find a way out of this for us." He tried

"You can't stop her, unless you agree to her terms." she explained "They always come at a high price, Roland."

"Grace, tell me what happened between you and Margaret Quayle, please." He took her hands but she pulled them away and shook her head again.

"We can fight her, but you have to tell me, talk to me." He implored

"I can't!" she shouted "Don't you understand, I can't!"

Tears started to trickle down her cheeks and she quickly dashed them away, hoping he hadn't seen them.

"Grace, it can't be that terrible. You can tell me anything. I promise I won't judge you."

"You would though. I know you would. I can't tell you, Roland. Just leave it please." She begged him

"I can't." he insisted "She hurt you. I can see it. All I want to do is help."

"There is nothing you can do."

"There has to be. There always is."

"No, not this time." She had stopped trying to fight him

A silence stretched between them.

"Are you so scared of me, Grace?"

She met his eye

"Yes, I am." She stated "I'm scared of what you would think of me."

"I won't know unless you tell me."

"I can't because it might just kill me, if I lose your friendship."

Roland sighed in frustration. This wasn't getting him anywhere.

"You can't know that you will lose it unless you tell me."

"That's the point. I won't know if I'll lose your friendship but I can't take the risk. Roland, you are the first true friend I have had for a very long time. I don't want to risk losing that because then I would be alone again." She explained

"By not telling me, you're making yourself more isolated." He pointed out "If I promise you, that you won't lose my friendship, will you tell me?"

"I want too, but you would break that promise once you found out. Anyway, if Margaret is behind this," she gestured to the walls around her "then she's likely told Purbright about it. If I'm not shot, I'll be sent home to England, without so much as a goodbye."

"I won't let them send you away, Grace. For goodness sake, you're a damn good nurse and we can't afford to lose you!" Roland exclaimed

"Purbright won't see it like. He'll probably have already found someone to do my job."

"Nobody will be as good as you are."

She didn't reply to his comment, instead finding great interest in her fingernails.

"Why would Margaret hate us, anyway? What have we ever done to her?"

"You are thick sometimes aren't you?" she murmured

"Excuse me?"

"She hates you for giving the job of Matron to me and she hates me for accepting it." Grace said simply

"I thought she understood the reason, I gave the job to you?"

"Margaret expected the promotion. Everyone was looking at her expecting her to get it. Even I was. She's bitter that she has been passed over for someone who is younger. ***** "

"She seems to truly hate you though. This is more than just a little grudge, I would say." Roland said

"I was her protégée, as she called me. I hated the name but I learnt to live with it. She trained me, helped me to get into nursing."

"So, she's not exactly happy to be rejected when someone she trained got the place she wanted?"

Grace swallowed, hoping that he didn't sense that she was hiding more.

"Exactly. If I'd known she would cause this much I wouldn't have accepted the promotion in the first place." She admitted

"You can't bow to the pressure that Margaret puts on you, Grace. You mustn't."

The door suddenly opened and several soldiers marched in. Roland immediately went to defend himself and Grace.

"What do you want?"

"Colonel Purbright wants to interview the pair of you." The soldier replied

"Wonderful, because we would both like to know why we are here." He stepped forward but the soldier stopped him

"He wants to interview, Miss Carter first."

"Oh no, we go together or not at all." Roland insisted but Grace put her hand on his shoulder to stop him

"Roland, just do as they say."

"No, if we are going on trial, then we are going together and that is final."

She saw the determination in his eyes and knew that she couldn't argue.

"Alright then. We go together."

They looked back at the soldier who had spoken to them.

"Fine then, but Colonel Purbright won't be happy about it." He sighed in frustration but lead the way to where Purbright was waiting.

As they walked Roland grasped Grace's hand and squeezed it.

She looked up at him and saw that he looked anxious. She squeezed his hand in return and he looked down at her.

"Together." she said

 ***In the story I have Grace being born in 1880, making her 35 at the time. You'll have a proper timeline of events in the next chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading and please reviewing. They brighten up my day!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again. Thank you, to those who reviewed and thank you to those who just read. You're all stars. Also a big thank you to charmredux and sash queen of the jungle, for adding this story to your follow and favourite list. I thought you deserved a special mention. I promised you a timeline of Grace's past, in this chapter and you will get it.**

 **Warning: Will definitely be bad language (sorry!)**

 **Chapter 6**

When they arrived, Purbright stood before the small desk. He looked calm, but when both Grace and Roland walked in, his calm demeanour vanished.

"Why have you brought both of them?" he hissed at the Sergeant who had led them "I asked you to bring the woman alone."

"They insisted that they came together Sir." The Sergeant answered

"You even cannot control two prisoners?" Purbright asked in annoyance.

The Sergeant didn't reply. Roland had let go of Grace's when they had entered, but the worried look that crossed her face made him grasp it once again.

"We'll be fine." he whispered to her

She nodded in reply but didn't look convinced. Purbright's gaze then snapped over to them, and Roland dropped her hand, hoping Purbright hadn't seen them. He scrutinized them both, then clicked his fingers at the Sergeant.

"Take him back, now." He commanded

Before he knew what had happened, two soldiers had grasped Roland's arms and started pulling him away from Grace. He struggled against them, but couldn't fight them off.

"Roland, stop fighting them." Grace implored

"Yes, do listen to your little slut, Brett." Purbright put in, a cruel smile coming over his face

When Roland heard, what Purbright called Grace, he found a new reserve of energy and started fighting against the people who restrained him again.

"Don't you dare call her that!" he shouted

Grace was very pale and looked like contents of her stomach would soon make a reappearance, although she managed, for Roland's sake, to summon a smile.

"I'll be fine." She tried to reassure him

Roland still fought.

"Let me put it this way Brett." Purbright started, clicking his fingers at the soldiers to stop them pulling at him. "Either you go quietly or I will give her no trial and just send her to be shot."

"Fine." He conceded and let the soldiers take him away.

Purbright's attention then turned back to Grace.

"Finally." A smug smile crept over Purbright's face "Shall we begin?"

Grace didn't react, instead keeping her eyes focused of the wall above his head.

"Now, you know not answering isn't a good idea."

Her eyes snapped down to him.

"All I want from you, is some facts." He stated, searching through his papers

"What facts?" she asked quietly

Purbright looked up at the sound of her voice

"You can speak for yourself then." The smug smile returned

"What facts?" she repeated

"Important facts, and you will give them to me. Do you understand?" he asked

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes Sir." She spat

He smiled once again briefly, before replacing his smile with a look of malice.

"I'd like to ask you about your past." He started

Grace felt panic rise within her. So Margaret had told him about her past already. Why would he want to drag it up again if he already knew? To humiliate her? To accuse her?

"When did you begin nursing in the Queen Alexandria Imperial Military Nursing Service?"

"13 years ago, 1902." She answered

"You lived in India before this?"

"Yes Sir." Grace murmured, knowing what he was building up too

"I believe you got into rather a lot of trouble in India." He said subtly

"What do you know?" she asked

"What I know is beside the point."

"That's not true," she said defiantly "I would say it very much is to the point."

Purbright sat silent for a minute

"I know all about your trouble." He admitted

"Why do you need to hear it from me, then?"

"I want details about what happened."

"Oh, so Sister Quayle, outlined the facts but didn't give you exact details." She wanted to laugh at this "That's very unlike Margaret. I thought she would have given you every little fact, no matter how insignificant."

"Hold your tongue, you outspoken bitch!" he hissed at her "I know that you gave birth to a bastard child."

The words stung for Grace.

"She wasn't a bastard!" she exclaimed, emotion cracking her voice "My little girl had a mother and a father who loved her and each other."

"She never knew though. Your little bastard never knew, because she was dead before you held her." Purbright lashed out at her "Did the father even love you? You say he did, but did he truly."

"Yes, he did. Amar and I were going to marry. Then the Indian army came and took him." She said bitterly

The tears that Grace had kept back, threatened to fall at what he had said. She tried blinking them away but I didn't work. Instead the tears fell and streaked her cheeks. A victorious smile took over Purbright's features.

"Now your shame is out in the open." Purbright stated "Anything to say?"

Grace was silent for a moment, then mumbled something that Purbright didn't catch.

"What was that?"

Grace raised her head and looked him directly in the eye

"3rd June 1901." She said calmly, though tears still poured down her cheeks

"What about it?" he asked casually

"That was when she was born. 3rd June 1901 at 4 o'clock in the morning."

Purbright gulped

"I don't want to hear any more." He told her

"You wanted to have details." She said, in way of defence "Or do you not have the stomach to listen?"

"Don't be impertinent."

"I'm not. I'm giving you what you wanted."

"The past is the past. I also want to discuss the present. Why did you become Matron?" he quickly moved on

"It was because, I was a good nurse, Colonel Brett said." She answered

"Oh, really, because you're a good nurse. It had nothing to do with the fact that you're sleeping with Colonel Brett."

Grace looked up at him, with a shocked expression.

"What?" she asked in astonishment

"Don't deny it. Apparently it is a topic of gossip."

"Well the gossip is wrong." She insisted

"Really. We've already established that you've had an affair with a man you weren't married to and bore his bastard daughter. Who says that you haven't been doing the same with Colonel Brett?"

"Don't make it sound so flippant." She snapped "You think that I don't think about my dead lover and my dead daughter? Do you think I would just forget them?"

"Why not?"

"I think about them every day. If you lost your wife or a child, would you just forget them?" she asked, only just keeping a fresh set of tears back

"That is not the same." He insisted

"Isn't it?" Grace challenged "I would say it is."

Purbright gripped the desk, he was sitting at rather tightly, to try and control his anger.

"Take her away." He seethed, gesturing to one of his soldiers.

She was then marched out the door, and back to the prisoners' quarters. When she was pushed through the door, Roland jumped up to greet her. He had been sitting on the edge of the bunk, anxiously waiting for her to return.

"Grace, are you alright?" he questioned, while looking her over for any signs of injury "Purbright didn't hurt you did he?"

She couldn't speak because the tears she had kept at bay while talking to Purbright had spilt over and were creating tracks down her cheeks.

"Oh, Roland." She choked out and fell, sobbing, against his chest

 **Thank you for reading and Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Another Chapter. I was going to post this yesterday but when I got home, I was so tired the only thing I could do was collapse onto my bed.**

 **Warning: Tiny bit of language (I promise I'm trying to cut down)**

 **Chapter 7**

As she sobbed against his chest, Roland held her close and rocked her to try and calm her. He rubbed small circles on her back and stroked her hair.

"Grace what's wrong?" he asked, when she had recovered slightly "What has Purbright said to you?"

All she did was sniff and bury her head in his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get you sat down." He guided her towards the bunk, where he had been sitting mere minutes ago, worrying about her welfare. She sat down and he kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his.

"What's all this about?" he asked gently

"It's nothing, I'll be alright." She assured

"Grace, you came in here crying. That is not nothing." He insisted

She was silent for a moment. Lying to him now would be useless, she decided. He was bound to find out sooner or later. Better that he found out from her than from Purbright.

"Roland, I need to tell you something," She confessed "and I need you to listen."

"Is this about you and Margaret?" he asked

She nodded

He went to the table and pulled out a chair, so that he could sit opposite her.

"I'm listening." He smiled kindly at her

"I'd rather you hear it from me, than Purbright because he will probably give you a very biased account. I might give you a biased view as well, but at least you will have all the facts." She started

He sat listening silently

"You know that I told you, I knew what you were going through, with the loss of Freddie?" she asked tentatively

He nodded

"I also said, that I haven't had children, when you asked."

"Grace, I regret shouting at you. I really do. You were rig-"

"Roland," she interrupted him "you're not listening."

"Sorry," he apologised "go on."

"I lied to you." Roland's face was now a picture of confusion "I have had a child."

"You're not-"

"Married, I know. I had a child out of wedlock. As Purbright put it, I bore a bastard daughter to an Indian man."

Roland didn't react.

"That's how I met Margaret. She helped to deliver the baby."

"What happened?" he asked, his voice betraying no emotion

"A still birth." Grace swallowed back her tears. She remembered Purbright's snide comment _"She was dead before you held."_

"Margaret said, she would help me to get into a respectable position and keep my secret. I accepted and that was that. She threatened to expose my secret, when I became Matron, and it has been hanging over my head ever since."

"What happened to the father?"

"We loved each other and we were going to marry. Then the army came and took him. We communicated through letters, but they stopped when the war started. Then I learnt," she paused for a second, swallowing down the rising grief "that he'd been killed."

Roland sat back in his chair and looked at her.

"I told you that would hate me." Grace told him, she curled up into a ball and retreated to the back of the bunk. A silence stretched between them.

"Grace, look at me." He said quietly

She shook her head, knowing what she would see.

"I don't hate you." He told her

Her head snapped up. She had feared that she would see the hatred that Purbright had held for her, instead she saw kindness and sympathy.

"Quite the opposite. I admire you more because of it." Roland admitted. "You endured so much. How could I hate you?"

"Society hates me," she explained "Purbright hates me, Margaret hates me, why shouldn't you?"

"They don't see you as I do. They might see a woman who bore a child out of wedlock, but I see an incredibly brave woman who has endured more than she needed to."

"You don't think me a slut or a whore?" she asked

"No, I don't" he took her hand and kissed the back of it "and if I hear any one call you that, they will be sorry. Very sorry. You mustn't think of yourself that way either."

"You really don't care about my past?"

"Grace, how many times must I tell you?" he asked "The past is the past. We have all done things that we are not proud of in the past. Nobody is a complete saint. I bet Purbright, has done a whole host of things that he greatly regrets. I feel privileged that you had the confidence to share your past with me."

"I would rather you had a balanced account than a biased one from Purbright." She smiled

"What did he say to you Grace?"

"He was horrible, but he didn't say anything I didn't expect." She admitted

"What did he say to you?" he repeated

"He called me a bitch." She said calmly

Roland hissed through his teeth "You shouldn't have to put up with that Grace."

"Society isn't kind to slut's who bear bastard children, Roland."

"Don't call yourself that Grace! I won't listen to it!" he said angrily

"That's what society calls me."

"Well society should look at itself and judge itself by its own standards!" he shouted

She flinched away from him as he shouted.

"I'm sorry, I'm just angry." He sighed and sat down next to her

"I can see that." She observed

"I'm not angry at you, just at the world."

"Oh I am glad." She laughed "At least you're not angry at me."

"It's not a laughing matter. Society should look at itself." He repeated

"Roland you are naïve. The world will not change."

"It should." He complained

"It won't." she repeated "Why should it? Society believes it is perfect and there is no need for it to change."

"As I said, society should look at itself."

"Well it won't and there is nothing you can do," She placed a hand on his cheek "however hard you try."

"Oh Grace, you were so brave telling me your story, so I should tell you mine."

"Roland you don't have to. I only told you to help you understand my story." She told him

"No, I do need to. It will help me, please."

"Alright then."

"My marriage," he paused not knowing what to say "well there is no marriage."

"What?" Grace looked as confused as he did, when she had spoken before.

"My wife, doesn't love me, she never has. If I'm honest I never loved her. I lived in a trap of a marriage for many years."

"Roland, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault. What she did wasn't your fault either." He said darkly

"What did she do?"

"She committed adultery. She went behind my back with so many men I lost count. What made it worse was the men took to her bed, were my friends. People I knew and worked with."

"That must have be hard for you."

"It was but I took action not long ago. I divorced her, so now I'm free from the humiliation."

"Are you happier now?" she inquired

"I am. Happier than I have been in a long time." He smiled at her

He took her hand and kissed it.

"Grace I need you to know something else. Ear-"

He was cut off as the door burst open.

"Colonel Purbright would like to speak to you know." The Sergeant said, pointing at Roland.

"Oh good. I would like to speak to him and tell him what I think of him!" Roland shouted

"Roland, please be careful." Grace implored

"He deserves everything I tell him." Roland seethed

"Please." She begged

"I won't be too hard on him then. For your sake though but not his."

She gave him an encouraging smile as he was led away.

 **Thanks for Reading and please review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry that I left you for a bit but I'm back now, so I hope the wait has been worth it.**

 **Warning: Sorry, again language**

 **Chapter 8**

Roland walked as slowly, as was possible considering, that anger was rising inside him. _How_ _dare Purbright upset Grace?_ The man had no consideration for others. Grace had worked hard to get where she was and had faced discrimination on a massive scale. As Tom Gillian had said, about Major Yelland, he was a waste of skin. He was lead through the hospital and spotted a few nurses and surgeons that he knew well. They nodded in recognition of him and a few of the surgeons smiled encouragingly. The soldiers escorting him pulled him along the walkway. He was then pushed forward to the shed where Purbright stood.

"I want a word with you!" Roland shouted as he walked in

"Really," Purbright answered "because I want a word with you as well."

Roland stood, with a defiant expression on his face.

"I'm not telling you anything."

"I believe that Miss Carter had the same idea," Purbright told him "and do you know what I did to her?"

There was silence.

"I broke her." He said simply "I can do the same to you."

"You might have broken her, but even things that are broken can be fixed."

"Not this time."

Again silence filled the air.

"Well, I'm not here to ask about her, I'm here to ask about you," Purbright started "You disobeyed my orders."

"When?"

"The Blighty ticket that I rescinded. You wrote out another." He stared at Roland accusingly

"Did you know his name?" Roland asked

Purbright's looked changed to one of confusion.

"I'm sorry?"

"Did you know his name?" Roland repeated

"That has nothing to do with it." Purbright argued

"On the contrary, it has everything to do with it," Roland stopped him "Did you know his name?"

"He was a Lance Corporal."

"That was his rank, not his name!" he shouted "His name was Prentiss. Lance Corporal Lawrence Prentiss, or Laurie as he liked to be called. Do you know what happened to him?"

Purbright only shook his head.

"He came back to us, back to the hospital." Roland told him as calmly as he could "He had grand mal seizures. He has no control of his own body now. He is as good as dead because of you."

"Why did you sign off that ticket?"

"Because Prentiss needed it, I've just described the extent of his injuries to you."

"You still disobeyed orders." Purbright argued

"I put the patient first."

"Well you shouldn't have!" his voice had risen to a shout

"If you had seen Prentiss when he had come back in then you would have regretted your decision!"

"You had no right to disobey what the senior officer had commanded!"

"This is not your bloody hospital! You are not running the place day after day!"

"I am still the senior officer!"

"Why don't you go and run the hospital and see if you're so keen to be the senior officer!"

Silence stretched again after Roland's last statement.

"Do you deny that you wrote out another Blighty ticket?" Purbright's voice was deathly calm

"No I don't." Roland replied in the same tone

"That's all I need."

"Fine, are we done now?"

"No quiet," Purbright shuffled his papers "I want to talk about Miss Carter."

Roland's eyes narrowed in anger at the man sat before him.

"I think you've done quite enough talking about her." He seethed

"I want to talk about your relationship with her." Purbright continued ignoring his comment

"What?" Roland looked genuinely confused

"Your relationship with her, or would you not call sleeping with someone a relationship?"

"Sleeping with her? You think I've been sleeping with her?" Roland looked dumbfounded

"Haven't you?"

"No I haven't! Who the hell told you that?"

"I have my sources." Purbright said shortly

"Well I would like to know who they are."

"I cannot tell you that."

Roland stopped speaking, trying to think of another way to get around Purbright.

"How long has this been going on?"

"What?"

"This affair, with Miss Carter." Purbright spat

"I have not been having an affair with anyone!" Roland insisted "She is my friend, nothing more."

Purbright looked at him sceptically.

"Do you know what she is? If you do you probably won't want her as a friend anymore."

"What sort of rubbish have you been fed now?"

"Oh it's not rubbish." Purbright assured "I think you need to know."

"What is it then?"

"She's a whore." He said simply

"Really? Is that what you call her?"

"It's what she is!"

"Tell me why you think that?"

"She slept with a man and gave birth to a bastard child!" Purbright shouted

Roland winced after the word bastard.

"Do you see now? The woman is a slut."

"You would give a biased account wouldn't you? You have no good will for the woman. She is kind and sweet. You know nothing about her. You judge her for something that happened in her past."

"Even if it is in her past, it still happened."

"What about you, have you never done anything that you regret?"

"This isn't about me though." Purbright insisted "This is about the fact that you have had an affair with whore."

"I haven't' had an affair with anyone. If you are going to accuse people of having affairs why don't you look at Hetty!"

The fact of what he had said hit Roland properly.

"What do you mean?" Purbright asked

"My wife has had several affairs. I divorced her recently, so even if I have slept with her, which I haven't, it wouldn't have been an affair."

"You have still disobeyed my orders, even if you haven't slept with anyone."

"I did what I thought was right at the time. I believe that I was right and I wouldn't change my decision, if I had the choice." Roland said defiantly

"Just don't say anything stupid Roland."

"Does it matter what I say?" he asked "You're likely to shoot me anyway. You've never liked me and it would suit you to have me removed from here."

"That's nonsense." Purbright argued "I have liked you. You're a good person but you have disobeyed orders, so I must follow through the proper protocols."

"I understand that, but I don't understand why you couldn't let Prentiss go home for even a day."

Roland stared at Purbright letting his last comment hang in the air.

"Take him back." Purbright ordered.

Roland was led away

 **Thanks for Reading and Please Review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Another Chapter. Thanks to sash queen of the jungle who has reviewed, thanks so much, you're a star!**

 **Chapter 9**

The light had faded, the night was closing in but still Grace, waited anxiously for Roland to return. She hoped that Purbright hadn't hurt him in anyway. She also hoped that she hadn't come up in their conversation. It was bad enough that they knew, she really didn't want it to be discussed. She hated to have her private life out in the open, and known to all. The past was the past and she wished that it would stay that way, unfortunately there was nothing she could do about keeping it secret but she could minimise the amount of people that knew.

She went over to the bunk and lay down. It was getting late and she needed to get a little rest. Hopefully Roland wouldn't be too long, and she could greet him before she fell asleep. It was another 20 minutes before Roland returned, and Grace had fallen asleep. He slipped in as quietly as he could and sat down next to her sleeping form. He lay a hand on her arm, making her eyelids flutter open but she stared at him blankly not recognising him in the half-darkness.

"I'm back Grace." He said softly as not to startle her.

She sat up at the sound of his voice.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her hands going up to his arms, checking for injury of any kind "You were gone so long. I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm fine," he reassured her "nothing I couldn't deal with."

"I just thought…" she didn't finish her sentence, thinking about what Purbright could have done to him.

"I'm perfectly fine."

"I still worry about you though." She got up and off the bed "Here, have a lie down, It'll do you some good."

"I'll be perfectly fine sleeping at the table. You get some rest."

"I have." She argued "Now it's your turn."

"I'll be fine." He insisted "I'm used to sleeping at my desk anyway. It's hardly very different."

She growled in frustration

"How about you sleep for a little while, then I'll wake you and we can swap places." Roland tried to compromise.

"I've already slept."

"I thought you were worrying about me?" he responded quickly

"I was-"she insisted

"Then how could you be sleeping properly?" he cut her off

Grace was then shocked into silence, by his craftiness.

"Don't be so stubborn, just go and sleep, Grace."

"I've had some sleep though. You haven't had any at all."

"I could have slept while you were being interviewed." He answered

She scoffed at his remark

"I did."

"Unfortunately, for you I don't believe you." she smiled sweetly at him

She then noted that he was still sitting on the bed. A plan then formed in her mind and a wicked smile came over her face. Roland saw it.

"What's that smile for?" he asked warily.

After his question, she pounced. She grabbed his legs and pulled them up. He shouted in surprise as she moved his legs onto the bed. She then pulled the blanket from under him and covered him with it. Finally she sat down top of his legs, immobilising him.

"There, now sleep please!" she insisted

"How am I meant to sleep with you sitting on top of me?" he asked, amusement lacing his voice

"Well you'll have to try won't you." she told him simply

"You were nice once."

"Well if you will be stubborn!" she near shouted at him

Grace let out a cry as Roland pulled her down to lie beside him. She looked at him angrily, but then burst out laughing. He joined her in her laughter. Their laughter carried on for several minutes. He then stopped and looked at her intensely, leaving her laughing alone. She abruptly stopped and returned his gaze. He then closed the gap between them. Their lips met slowly, yet it was one of the most perfect moments in each of their lives. They kissed for some time, hardly thinking, hardly noticing time as it passed.

Grace pulled away.

"Roland we need to talk about this." She insisted

He knew she was right.

"What is there to say?" he asked

"I want to ask if this means something to you?"

"What?"

"I want to actually mean something to you Roland. I don't want to be a women who just comes into your life, then is discarded when you no longer want her." She explained

"Oh, Grace. You're not just some fling." He reassured her "You're one of the most precious people I have in my life. You mean everything to me."

"Am I truly?" she asked

"Yes, darling. Yes."

She let out a small sob at his words.

"Oh Roland, I love you so much." She said pulling him into a hug

"I love you too, Grace, sweetheart. I love you too."

They stayed wrapped up in each other for some time, until Grace spoke.

"I loved you for so long."

"It was the same for me darling. I watched you from afar hoping that perhaps, one day, you might fall into my arms. In reality though I knew that it could never be true." He told her

"Well I'm here know, and hopefully that's enough."

"Of course it is. It's more than enough."

"Well that's good," she joked "because it's all I have to give at the moment."

"All you have to give, is perfect."

He swept a lock of hair, which had fallen across her eyes, back behind her ear.

"You're beautiful, my Grace, do you know that."

"I doubt that." She scoffed "Stop flannelling."

"You are darling, and I'm not flannelling. I don't flannel." He insisted

"Hmm. I don't believe you." she said lightly

"This is getting off topic now." He mentioned

"Oh, and what is that topic?" she jested with him

"How beautiful my love is." He joined in her joking

"Is she beautiful?"

"Oh yes, the most beautiful women I have ever met." He said in all seriousness

"You're certainly lucky then."

"Well she's not just beautiful outside." He told her "She has a brain as well. Not just a trophy or an ornament. She has a mind of her own and I love her for it."

"You're definitely flannelling now." She said sleepily

"Tired, love?" he asked, smiling

"It's been a long day."

"Then I'll let you sleep."

Roland started to get up from the bed.

"Where do you think you're going Colonel Brett?" she asked, once again mocking him

"I'm going to let you sleep." He said seriously, not picking up on her joke

"Roland, you can sleep next me." She told him

He smiled and settled back down against her.

"Just stop being stubborn or you'll find yourself sleeping on the floor." she told him

He laughed at her remark.

"Goodnight love."

 **Thanks for reading and please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter the next. It took some working on but I managed to sort it. Again, thanks for reviews, they mean a lot.**

 **Warning: Rating will be going up to M. Also, I'm really sorry if it is totally rubbish. Please tell me if it is, so I can improve in the future.**

 **Chapter 10**

Roland watched Grace as she slept. Peace seemed to rest over. It was a good to see her at peace. She had been scared, unhappy and stressed over the course of the today, and all these emotions had been shown on her face. Now, as she slept, he could only see calm, on her face, with a few smiles and sighs on contentment, as she burrowed further into his shoulders. He could see the moonlight pouring into the room-through the cracks in slats of wood that made up the cabin-but didn't have the heart to wake her.

Grace broke his trail of thought by turning in his arms. He then smiled as she moaned in annoyance at the moonlight pouring into the room.

"Good morning." He whispered into her hair

Again she moaned.

"Come on darling, settle back down. We need to get some sleep." He told her "Purbright will be coming to find us soon."

This made Grace sit up straight, in an instant.

"What time is it?" she asked anxiously

"Still early, but Purbright is sadly an early riser." He informed her

Grace looked around and saw the moonlight. She then turned back to him in annoyance.

"Roland, the sun hasn't even risen yet. It's still dark outside!" she shouted

"Grace, don't shout." He shushed her

"You were the one who woke me up. Maybe next time you shouldn't wake me up." She said moodily, settling back onto the bed

"You know that you love me really." He told her simply

"Oh, do I? I might just end up changing my mind. Be warned, you may find the rest of the night is spent on the floor."

"Will you be there with me?" he asked cheekily

She scowled at him and shoved him hard in the chest. This resulted in him falling off the edge of the bed, and tumbling onto the floor below.

He moaned in pain, as she leaned off the edge of the bed looking at him, sprawling on the floor. Her face betrayed no sense of amusement, but the sparkle in her eyes didn't seem to send the same message. She then settled on the bed, not giving him another look. Roland picked himself up from the floor and dusted himself off. He then stood over the bed, looking at Grace with, mock severity.

"Ouch!"

"You brought it on yourself." Grace simply explained to him

"How?" he asked in astonishment

"You shouldn't have taunted and mocked me. At least you've learned something now."

He looked grumpy as he asked what he had learned.

"You have learnt that you shouldn't push me over the line, because you end up with bruises."

"I was only being friendly." He looked innocent as he spoke

"Well you now know where it gets you."

"Why don't I try and make it up to you?" his voice turning husky, as he caressed her shoulder through her dress.

She looked up at him quickly. She placed her hand over his and guided it off her shoulder, back to his side. He took this as a rejection.

"I'm sorry Grace. I shouldn't have. I was far too forward." He stumbled over his words, quick to apologise

"Roland, it isn't that I don't want you. I do, truly, but I'm terrified that Purbright will find out." She explained

"Grace, I understand, I do." He tried to sound, like it hadn't affected him but she could see it had.

"Come here." She gestured him back to the bed, and into her arms. He climbed back onto the bed and settled into her arms. "Roland, you don't have to pretend."

He sighed

"It's just, I love you so much Grace. I want to make love to you. Purbright already believes that we've been sleeping together."

"What?!" she sat up immediately

"Apparently we have been sleeping together for several months now." He explained "Which is strange as I think I would remember it." he added as a joke

"Who told him that?"

"Probably, Margaret Quayle."

She fell back onto the bed.

"I know I shouldn't be, but I'm surprised."

He smiled sadly at her.

"You try to see good the good in people…"

"But my good nature is misplaced." She finished for him

"Not misplaced." He insisted

"Misguided then." she offered as an alternative "Whatever you want to call it, you think I trust people too easily."

"I still love you though." He confirmed

She reached up and kissed him. It started off as a chaste but as they kissed their passion grew. His tongue slipped gently into her mouth and her moan of surprise, spurred him on. Her hands ran over his chest, and up around his neck. His hands grasped her hips and wrapped then wrapped around her waist. She took his hand from her waist and the guided it up to her breast.

"Grace…" Roland looked at her, confusion written over his face.

"Well, we could at least be persecuted for something we have _actually_ done." She smiled at him

"Oh darling." He kissed her again

He released her hair from its pins, so it flowed over her shoulders like a curtain of gold. She nuzzled against his shoulder, as he kissed a path down from her shoulder to her breasts. She managed to undo his tie and then started on the buttons of his shirt. Roland in return started on the buttons of her dress. He pushed the dress off her shoulders, at the same time that she rid him of his shirt.

"Grace, you are beautiful."

"I think you're slightly biased, Roland."

She smiled at him, and he returned it. He pushed her dress down and off her hips, exposing her to his gaze. She smoothed her hands over his chest and linked her hands around his neck, pulling him down to kiss him. When he pulled away, Roland started to remove her corset. He exposed her slowly to his gaze. He kissed every inch of her body, worshiping her. When he removed her corset completely, he seemed breathless. He kissed her breasts, skimming fingers over the dark nipples that topped them.

"Sweetheart, do you know what you do to me?" he asked, regaining his breath

She placed a finger to his lips to silence him. She then started to undo his belt. She went slowly, like he had done with her corset, wanting him to enjoy the moment. She then started to undo the buttons on his trousers. When she pushed his trousers away from his hips, they were on equal terms, both only in their undergarments.

"Are you sure, Grace?" he asked

"I'm sure." She insisted

They removed their undergarments together. They were now naked with each other. Roland gave her an encouraging smile, when he saw that she looked nervous.

"I'm sorry." She apologised "I haven't…since…" she trailed off, leaving her emotions laying bare

"We don't have to, you know." He compromised with her "I can just hold you."

"Roland, I want to. I'm nervous, that's all." She told him

"I'll be gentle." He promised her

She returned his smile, and nodded for him to continue. He slipped into her, and stilled, giving her time to adjust. She smiled and placed her hands either side of his face and pulled him down for a kiss, moving her hips. He started to thrust, slowly again, letting her adjust, but she met his movements and encouraged him. He worshiped her breasts as he made love to her. The pair only stopped kissing when it was necessary. They soon both climaxed, falling into a sated heap, whispering quiet 'I love you's' into each other's shoulders.

 **Its rubbish, I'm sorry. Please review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for reading and for reviewing. It encourages me. I've said it before, but you're all stars. I've had the flu so I've not be brilliant, but I hope you can enjoy this even if it was written in the grip of the flu.**

 **Chapter 11**

Grace awoke with a start, at the sound of boots on the wooden boards outside. She shook, Roland awake.

"Roland, wake up!" she got up from the bed, quickly. He sat up at her voice.

"What is it?" he asked groggily, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes

"We have to get up!" she told him. When he didn't react, she pulled him up from the bed and shoved his clothes into his chest. "Come on!"

"Why?" he moaned, throwing his clothes back to the floor

"Because, if Purbright finds us like this, he will definitely think we have slept together then." She spoke to him slowly, as if speaking to a child.

"Well we have slept together." He reminded her, smiling cheekily

She turned to him, with a frown of disapproval, but his smile was apparently infectious because, she was soon smiling too.

"Do you intend for everyone to find out though?" she asked

"No, because everyone would be jealous of me." He told her

"What have I told you about flannelling?" she slapped him gently over the head

"Ow." He complained

"Poor little baby." She sympathised "Do you want me to kiss it better?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

She placed a light kiss on his forehead.

"Now, get dressed, darling!" she dropped his clothes into his lap

He grumbled but obeyed. He paused on the buttons of his shirt when she pulled her dress over her head. She saw his hesitation, and went over to do the rest of his buttons up. She then re-tied his tie. When she had finished she smoothed her hands over his chest.

"Perfect." She leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on his lips

He then picked up his jacket, which had been discarded on the floor last night. She again, started to do the buttons of his jacket up, but he pushed her hands away.

"I can dress myself, you know!" his annoyance evident

The look on her face was one of hurt and disappointment. She backed away from him and sat down at the table. He saw that he had hurt her, and tried to rectify his mistake.

"Grace…I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Stop it Roland." She cut him off "It's fine."

He stood behind her, and placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning down and placing a kiss on the side of her face. She didn't resist but didn't react. He then leaned down and turned her to face him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said." He tried

Her head snapped up quickly at his remark. She then pulled away from him and stood up.

"Don't you dare." She seethed

"Grace-" he reached for her, but she stepped away from him.

"Stop it!" she shouted at him "If you didn't mean what you said, then just stop it."

"Grace, what are you talking about?" he looked confused "Darling, please."

"If you didn't mean what you said, then you have no right to call me that."

The penny finally dropped for Roland.

"Oh, Grace. I didn't mean that I regret everything I said." He confirmed "I only meant that I was sorry that I shouted at you, that's all."

"You mean..."

"Of course I love you."

She let out a strangled sob.

"Oh, darling, did you think I didn't love you?" he asked

She nodded

"Sweetheart, come here." He pulled her into his arms. "I shouldn't have let you think that."

She sobbed against his chest for a while, letting out the upset that had been building for a few days. When she recovered she pulled away from his chest and kissed his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She apologised "I think that being locked up isn't good for me."

"Paranoia is starting to set in, I think."

"I've never liked small spaces either." She confessed

"I didn't know you were claustrophobic?" he was interested to learn something about her

"There are lots of things you don't know about me." She told him

"Will you tell me one of those things?"

"What?" she asked in confusion "My life isn't that interesting."

"It is to me." He quickly corrected her "Tell me a little about your family."

"What's to tell?" she shrugged her shoulders

"Anything! Tell me about your mother." He encouraged

"She was lovely." She smiled "She always made me and my father smile, when we were unhappy, upset or angry. She could calm him when my father was angry and that was often."

"How often?" Roland interrupted

"Too often." She said darkly

"Were they bad?" he continued to question

"Some of the time." She sighed "All of the time."

"Did he…did he hurt you?"

"Yes. He hit me a few times. A lot of the time his rage was taken out on throwing things at me. He never truly liked me. My mother used to say that he loved me, even though his rages were violent. I don't think that I ever believed her."

"Why did he hate you so much though? Was it something you did when you were younger?"

"No, he hated me because I wasn't the child he wanted. He would rather have had a strong boy, instead of a feeble girl. He wanted a child to be proud of. I wasn't enough for him."

He saw a tear trail down her cheek.

"You're enough for me." He reassured her, wiping her tear away "You always will be."

She smiled kindly at him

"Thank you, for the compliment but my father never saw me that way. He didn't care for me, or take any interest in me. My mother told me, he only liked me when I was a baby. She said he used to like watching me sleep. As I grew up, he seemed to notice me less and less. By the time I was an adolescent, he only acknowledged me, when he was throwing, either his whiskey or gin bottles at me. I put my hands up to stop them hitting me directly, but one time part of the bottle sliced through the skin of my hand."

She held up her hand for him to see. He took it and traced the faint scar, which ran from the top to the bottom of her palm.

"I'm so sorry, you had to endure that, but I promise to keep you safe in the future." He wrapped her securely into the shelter of his arms.

"Thank you." she whispered

He smoothed her hair, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Love you." he said

"Love you too."

"Tell me more about your mother." He wanted to know more "What did she look like?"

"I inherited her hair. I used to think it was like a golden curtain. She also told me that I should never have my hair cut. Apparently it was one of the features that my father found, attractive in my mother."

"Well, it's one of the features I find attractive in you. At least your father and I agree on something."

"He wouldn't have liked you sadly. He hated doctors and hospitals. A lot of the time, people went in and never came out. He hated them because a lot of the time, I suppose they seemed sinister. Perhaps that's why I jumped at the prospect of being a nurse, to show my father that medicine wasn't a scary prospect."

"Did you convince him?"

"If anything it made him hate me even more. He wouldn't let me in the house after I started living in nurse's quarters. He said I would bring infection into the house. My mother was proud of me, but she wouldn't go against what my father said. His violence became worse after that."

"How?" he asked, concerned "You weren't seriously hurt, were you?"

"No, no I was fine. Other people were the problem. He started to take his anger out on people he knew. Friends, neighbours, anyone that stood up to him. People stopped visiting the house. My mother finally decided it would be a good idea to get away. I helped her the best I could. I told her she could stay with me, even if it meant she stayed at the nurse's home, with me. I wanted to protect her but I couldn't." she stopped letting out a ragged breath

"What happened?" he asked, knowing the answer wasn't going to be good

She took a deep breath and continued.

"I don't know exactly, but the day she told me she would meet, she was late. So I went to investigate. I got home an- oh god- she-she was dead." Tears started to flow freely "My father was stood over holding a gun. He enjoyed the company of his guns as well, even as much as he liked drink. When he saw me, I was close to joining my mother."

She stopped, and Roland saw that she was shaking. He placed his hand softly on her shoulder, and she jerked back to reality.

"I managed to escape but people had heard the commotion and came to investigate. He threatened them. Tried to stop them from entering the house. They saw though. My father saw that there was no way out. He shot himself. Fell down dead next to my mother. It would have been romantic, if he hadn't killed her." She scoffed

"You've been through so much darling. You don't deserve all the hate you have had to endure."

"Well I have. Sadly there is nothing you can do about the past. Just let it lie." She told him

"Then I'll make a safe future for you. For both of us."

 **End of chapter. Wow that was long. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Another Chapter, I hope you liked the last chapter. It took time but I managed it. Here is the next instalment. Hope it is good enough. It has been a long week. Tiring too.**

 **Chapter 12**

Purbright looked over his notes. They both seemed guilty, as far as he could see. He had countermanded orders from a higher authority, and she had failed to report it. They had both been guilty of what he saw as insubordination. They both had high positions in the hospital and both would have been seen as important enough to avoid a sentence. Others would have been struck before they were. Now he had the truth though. He had the evidence that they were guilty and that they could easily have the both court marshalled. He still had his doubts though. He still had a niggling feeling that there was something he had missed. Something that could prove what they had done, wasn't as bad as he thought. He didn't like the pair of them but that didn't mean that, he would be unfair towards them. Giving an unfair verdict because he didn't like them, would be against his own moral code. A moral code that he had to stick to.

Then a plan came to him. He could question the others. The other surgeons would know a little about the case and what the patient had been like. They could tell him what they would have done in that situation, and if they thought what had been done was justified. It would give him a balanced verdict and a truthful look on the situation before him. The situation that could lead to the death of two people, which he might not be fond of, but were damn good at their jobs. The army couldn't lose people like that. They were important to the war effort. Also, if he got this wrong, then it would be his head on the chopping block as well.

"Corporal," he spoke to one of the soldiers that was helping him to conduct the investigation "bring Captain Gillian to me please. I will need him to give some evidence."

The Corporal saluted his superior and then went off to follow the order, leaving Purbright with his thoughts. The silence in the shed was eerie. He recalled interviewing, Joan Livesey, when he had found out about her treachery. He knew that he intimidated her. He had made her confess though. He had done what high command had wanted. He had obeyed their orders and been successful. It still struck him as odd though. She had pleaded her innocence, yet still seemed loyal to her superiors. He shook his head, trying to clear it. It wasn't good to dwell on past cases. They would only give him nightmares or keep him up all night and that was the last thing that he needed.

The door opened, and Captain Gillian entered the shed, followed by the Corporal that had be sent to fetch him.

"You wanted to speak to me?" he asked, sitting in the chair opposite Purbright

"Yes, I need you to give evidence." Purbright stated

"It better be quick, I have patients." He sighed in annoyance

"I'm afraid it may take some time. I will require you're opinion on a few things."

"I don't have the time." He spoke quickly, and jumped from the chair

"Captain Gillian, sit back down, please." The Colonel demanded

"I have lives to save! Maybe you should turn your attention to that, instead of sitting behind a desk day after day." Tom scoffed

"I am trying to ascertain if Colonel Brett and Matron Carter are guilty of insubordination!" his voice rising to a shout

Tom stopped dead.

"What?"

"I need your evidence to conclude if they are guilty or not."

Tom's expression changed. This was serious.

"I advise that you sit back down." Purbright said

He walked back to the chair and sat, carefully, down.

"Thank you. Now I need your medical opinion."

"What about?" the Captain asked

"A patient that Colonel Brett treated, Lance Corporal Lawrence Prentiss, more commonly known as-"

"Laurie." Tom interrupted

"Yes, Laurie. Do you recall his condition when he first came to the hospital?"

"Yes, he was shaken. He had neurological damage I believe. Any loud sounds or sudden movement shocked him, and he would start fitting. The fits could become very serious."

"Colonel Brett told me as much. The thing I want to know, is would you agree with him?" Purbright questioned him

"Yes, I would. Laurie had all the signs of neurological damage. It was clear that something was seriously wrong."

"What would you have done, if he was your own patient?"

"I would have placed the lad on a convoy home. It was evident that neurological damage was something, that couldn't be treated here, at the field hospital. It needed a specialist. I'm surprised that Colonel Brett didn't place him on the convoy himself."

Purbright shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, well, thank you Captain, that's all I need to know from you. You may get back to your patients."

Tom stood up and left the shed, without further comment. Purbright had been frantically scribbling notes, on the pad of paper. This was what he had expected, if he was honest. The surgeons here were talented and they knew, what they were doing. He would have to trust in them and their judgement. He could still gain a second opinion though. They always said that in medicine, you should gain a second opinion. He turned to the Corporal at his side.

"Fetch Captain Hesketh-Thorne. I will need his opinion as well."

The Corporal followed the same protocol, as he had before. He looked over his notes, from when he was interviewing Colonel Brett. The evidence of what he had said compared, alongside Gillian's was enough to prove the pair innocent. It proved that they were only doing what was right and what they had thought was best at the time.

The corporal returned with Miles.

"Colonel Purbright," the man paused and smiled "to what do I owe the pleasure today?"

Purbright didn't smile in response.

"Sit down Captain." He demanded, pointing to the chair

"Serious then, is it." the young surgeon sat and smiled again, trying to lighten the mood

"Potentially very serious, yes." Purbright explained

The atmosphere changed in the shed, as it hit Miles, that what Purbright was going to ask was very serious.

"Do you recall a patient, by the name of Lance Corporal Lawrence Prentiss?"

"Laurie? Yes, he was my patient before Colonel Brett took over the case."

"So you were the first to treat him?" Purbright asked in confirmation

"Yes. I was the surgeon that was first to treat him."

"How did he seem to you?"

"I diagnosed neurological damage. That's what I thought, and Colonel Brett agreed with me. The sudden movements made by others or sudden sounds that he heard would, cause fitting."

"How serious would the fits be?"

"They could escalate to a point where he would have to be restrained. To be held down on the bed, so he didn't cause himself any harm. Colonel Brett told me that he had found a way of treating Laurie. A way that he could avoid fitting."

"What was this treatment?" Purbright continued questioning

"Music. He told me that, he had found out if Laurie listened to recordings on the gramophone, then he was able to avoid the fits. He would weep instead."

"Would you have sent him home?"

"Yes, the damage was way beyond what we could heal."

"Thank you Captain. Your evidence has been helpful. You may get back to your patients."

"Of course, Sir." Miles headed for the door but turned before reaching it "I hope my evidence made a difference."

He smiled and left.

 _Oh, it made a difference alright,_ Purbright thought, _more than you could know._

 **End of chapter. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Next Chapter for you. Thanks for reading. It's lovely to see to many people reading what I write. I enjoy writing so you can enjoy reading. We are coming to the end of our story now. I'll wrap it up in the next few chapters, but fear not as I have another idea for a story ready.**

 **Chapter 13**

Roland had started pacing around the small shed once again, while Grace sat and watched him from the bed. They had been up early this morning to face their fate, whatever it may be, and they were disappointed. Nobody had been in to see them except to deliver some breakfast to them. It had made them both anxious. Roland glanced over at Grace who had brought her knees up to her chest, and had started to rock back and forth in time with Roland's pacing.

"Stop rocking." He instructed her

"Stop pacing." She countered

He stopped pacing and watched as she stopped rocking.

"The silence makes me nervous." He admitted

"It makes me nervous, try to sit down and relax a little." She tried

"How?" he asked astonished "Our fates might be being sealed at this very moment! How in the world am I meant to relax?"

"Why do you have to be anxious? Yes, I might get shot but there's nothing I could do if I am. We just have to accept it." she told him tiredly

He watched her as she spoke and noticed that she looked a little grey. He also noticed that she seemed to have slumped down on the bed, as she sat against the wall. The whole time she had been speaking, she had looked past him, to a spot on the wall.

"Where's your fight gone, Grace?" he asked simply

"Maybe I don't have it any more." She said simply, still staring past him "Perhaps I'm so sick of everything I've been through that it's all been taken away."

As she ended her speech, she looked directly at him, meeting his eye. He avoided her gaze, as he sat down at the table. There was a moment of silence.

"Do you ever think of how many people come through here?" Grace breaks the silence

Roland only shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Nicholls, Joan, God knows how many others will in the future."

"Stop it, Grace. Just stop it." he told her quietly

"What is it in the truth that you don't want to hear?"

He jumped up from the table at her question.

"I don't want to think about it!" he shouted "I don't want to think about every person who has come through here, because we are in here! In this present moment, we are here Grace! Nobody else, us!"

She didn't seemed shocked by what he had said.

"People are dying in this moment Roland. It's not just about us." She responded

"Alright, alright, fine." He threw his hands into the air "Think about all those people who are dying in this moment."

He left the thought hanging in the air for a moment. He then walked to stand in front of her.

"Now, tell me how that makes you feel." He instructed

"It makes me feel that there's no point in going on." She admitted "It hurts."

"You can't feel like that, Grace. You mustn't." he instructed

"Why not? It's how we feel, when we actually think about the scale of this war. Yet nobody thinks about it. Why does nobody think about?"

"Nobody thinks about it, because it hurts." He explained simply "You have to stop thinking about it."

She nodded simply.

"Lie down and get some sleep. We evidently won't get a judgement today."

She nodded again, and lay down, so she could sleep.

Roland sat beside her and watched. What had brought this on? Grace had been happy, hadn't she? Well as happy as anyone can be in the circumstances they were in. If they started thinking about the war and the point of it, then they would just be going round in circles. All he really knew was that the whole war was futile and there was little point to the thing. It reminded Roland of boys playing with toy soldiers. Toy soldiers that had been knocked down. Unfortunately real soldiers couldn't be just picked up and start fighting again.

His thought was broken, when Grace shuffled on the bed and turned to sleep on her back. He knew that she wasn't really sleeping. He remembered a time when he had watched her sleep. She had fallen asleep, when they were doing paperwork late at night. He hadn't noticed for a while, that she had curled up on the chair and fallen asleep. He had smiled at her, and had carefully picked her up and carried her over to his armchair, so she could sleep in peace.

Roland let his own eyes droop a little. He needed a little sleep and watching Grace, sleep had made him want to sleep. It would be safe to. I didn't seem like they were going to receive any confirmation of their life or death today. He settled back in the chair and let his head fall back. He didn't get the chance to get any sleep as he was woken disturbed by a small scream coming from the bed. He looked up instantly, to see Grace sitting bolt upright.

"Grace, what is it?" he asked "Nightmare?"

She nodded her head and settled back down again.

"What about?" he asked

"Guns." She whispered "Getting shot."

"We are not going to get shot, sweetheart."

"We might."

"Not if I can help it." he insisted "Even if it means we go to prison. Joan was taken to prison, we could easily avoid being shot."

She nodded.

"Sleep a little, and try not to have any more nightmares." He comforted

"You too." She smiled

He gave her a quick kiss and pulled the blankets up to keep her warm.

"Thank you." she whispered

"What for?" he asked in confusion

"For caring for me, for looking after me, for talking me out of nonsense."

"You know I will always do all of those things," he assured her "especially the talking you out of nonsense. I might have to do that lots of times."

She laughed lightly at his comment.

"Well you never know? It seems that this might be a regular occurrence." He spoke quickly

"I'll try to make sure that, it isn't." she promised him

Before she could become comfortable though, the door was flung open and Purbright marched in, with his guard. The pair sprang apart, and Roland promptly jumped up.

"What do you want?" he asked the man

"I want you both to come with me. It's time you faced your judgement."

 **End of chapter. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Happiness, another chapter. This is my birthday gift, to you. We are so very near to the end of this story, perhaps another chapter after this, an epilogue perhaps.**

 **Chapter 14 **

The short walk to the old shed, seemed like several miles to, Roland and Grace. He held her hand in a death grip because he was so nervous, and it was becoming uncomfortable for Grace.

"Roland?" she whispered to him

"What?"

"You're hurting my hand." She told him

"Oh, sorry, sorry." He apologised as he loosened his grip on her hand

She smiled up at him.

"We will be alright."

"Will we?"

"Yes," she confirmed "We're together."

He nodded but wasn't convinced.

Along the way, they passed many of the nurses and surgeons, which worked at the hospital. They all nodded at the pair, giving them support without any words. Unfortunately they met Margaret along the way. She smirked, evilly at them and Grace had to grip Roland's hand tighter to stop him from lashing out at her. They saw that she had been moved up to the rank of Matron now.

"Roland, what's wrong?" she asked in concern, as she felt him tense.

"They've put her in your position." He said angrily

"What did you expect? Nobody knew if we were going to be executed or not, and as Margaret is the most senior member of staff. She was right for the position."

"You were right for the position!" he snapped angrily "She definitely isn't. She has no compassion and isn't fit for the position."

"That doesn't matter." She stated "The emotional part doesn't matter, only the fact that she has the right qualifications."

"People need to judge more than qualifications."

"Convenience, Roland. That's all."

They had finally reached the shed and were led inside. They were made to stand on two X's in the middle of the room. Their hands were also pulled apart, and they were each held still by a separate guard. Roland felt that this could not be good and fought slightly against the guard, but saw Grace had little resistance and stopped.

Purbright had sat down at the desk and pulled out the notes, from the file on the desk. His face was completely unreadable, and expression blank. No emotion showed on his face, as both Roland and Grace avoided his eye. The silence became uncomfortable for all of them, Roland began shifting, Grace started biting her bottom lip and Purbright was shuffling the papers on his desk. When he finally looked up at them, the tension became worse. The tension was finally broken by Purbright starting what he had to stay.

"You've both been on trial, and you have been tried by military law. I have been a fair judge. I hope you understand this, when the verdict is given to you."

They both nodded, more out of fear than anything else.

"I have gathered evidence from those who knew about this case and the people involved in the case. With the evidence I have gathered, I have come to, what I believe, is a fair and balanced verdict."

The pair once again nodded.

"Well the conclusion I have come to, is that the pair of you have disobeyed orders from high command," The room was once again full of tension, and the pair both braced themselves for the worst "but, you did it for the right reasons. So you will be let off with no more than a formal reprimand."

He then waved the guards away, and they were released from holding arms.

At this news, Roland let out an audible gasp of relief and raised his eyes to heaven. Grace had a slightly different reaction. She was stunned into silence and her legs went from under her. Thankfully, Roland noticed in time and caught her before she fell to the ground. Purbright quickly motioned for one of his guards to bring a chair for her. Roland lowered her into it.

"Grace, are you alright?"

She could only manage to nod, at that moment.

"You'll be reinstated to your old positions." Purbright confirmed "Will you be alright Miss Carter?"

She looked up at him, and once again nodded.

"I will leave you too it," he went to leave but turned at the door "But consider this a severe reprimand. If anything like this happens again, you are to ask high command, before doing anything. Is that understood?"

"Completely." Roland told him quickly

"This is the official document that shows you are to be reinstated." Purbright told them, before laying out a document before them. He also took from behind his desk, Grace's cape and medals.

He gave them a quick smile before, departing from the shed, taking his guards with him. Roland turned to Grace, leaning down beside her and carefully placed a hand on her arm, trying not to startle her.

"Darling, talk to me, please." He implored

"We're going to be alright?" she whispered to him

"Yes, we are." Roland confirmed for her

Her hand flew to her mouth to stop the sob that was about to escape. He pulled her into his arms, to keep her from crying anymore. She wound her arms round his waist, while burying her head in his chest.

"No guns." She murmured

"No guns, no getting shot, no prison sentence." He told her

"Back to normal."

"Yes, all back to the way it was before."

"All?" she questioned, her body tensing

"Well, not everything." He said, running a hand over her hair, feeling her relax

"Do you know the best bit?" he asked her

"What?" she asked, curious to know what was better than not being executed

"You get to boss around Margaret." He answered

"I doubt she'll like it."

"She doesn't have to like it." he nuzzled her neck "She has to lump it."

She laughed lightly.

"Now, what do you say, that we go and reinstate ourselves?" he asked, and waved the document Purbright had given them, in front of her.

He also picked up her cape and placed it around her shoulders.

"Matron?" he offered her his hand

She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the shed, towards their offices. They managed to get to the offices without their joined hands causing too much attention. They both marched straight into Grace's office and saw Margaret sitting at the desk. She looked up in shock at the pair of them.

"Good afternoon, Margaret."

"That's Matron Quayle to you." she snapped at the pair

"No, it isn't." Grace laid the paper on the desk for Margaret to see

Margaret looked over the document, then gasped in anger.

"Where did you get this?" she ground out

"From Colonel Purbright himself." Roland told her "We have be reinstated and you are to return to your former position."

"You may even be taken down to the rank of a Staff Nurse."

Margaret was seething.

"Leave, Margaret." Grace instructed

Margaret stomped to the door, but turned before leaving.

"I'll run this hospital one day!" she shouted, before storming out

"Not while I'm here, she won't." Grace murmured

She went and sat down at the desk, looking over the files quickly.

"Oh goodness, there's a ton of work to be done." She complained

"We'll get it done." He reassured her "It's fine, darling."

"I suppose," she said vaguely "but I should get it started. The sooner it's started, the sooner it's done."

She went to her draw and picked up her pen, but Roland took it from her hand and lay the pen on the desk.

"We have just been through one of the worst ordeals, that we could have been put through, and yet you want to go back to work." He looked at her, confused

"Roland we have to show Purbright that we are worth keeping on." She explained

"I think Purbright will understand if we take the afternoon off!" He exclaimed "Come along."

He pulled her along, into his own office. He then walked her over to an armchair and sat her down.

"Stay." He commanded

Roland then walked to his room for a few moments, before returning with a blanket, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He sat next to her in an identical armchair and placed the blanket around her shoulders, making sure she was warm. He then poured them both a glass of whiskey. Finally he handed her a glass, which she accepted.

"Home." She whispered, as she curled up in her armchair.

 **Please review**


	15. Epilogue

**This is definitely the last chapter. An epilogue for all you lovely people. Thanks mostly to sash queen of the jungle and tudorrose33. Thanks for reviewing and just being generally a massive support.**

 **Epilogue**

 _1 year later_

"Grace!" Roland called out to her

She popped her head round the door of his bedroom, from the office, to see him still in the bed. He had made no attempt to get up.

"What is it?" she asked "I'm trying to make you a cup of tea."

"I miss you." he stretched his arms out to her "The bed's too cold without you."

"You should be getting up." She sighed in frustration

"I don't have too." he complained "I have a free day today, so do you if you recall."

"Well unlike you, I don't want to spend my free day in bed." She reprimanded him

"Are you sure?" he asked cheekily

"Colonel Brett, are you suggesting that we spend our free day lazing in bed?" she returned, raising her eyebrows at him

"Not exactly lazing." He whispered "Come back to bed, Grace." He implored

"No, if you need me I will either be in my office or in my tent."

"I need you in this bed, young lady." He moaned in frustration

"Well I'm afraid you can't have me. Your tea is in your office, when you decide to get up." She offered him, before leaving.

Roland grumbled before pulling himself out of bed. He searched through his trunk, looking for a casual suit he could wear. He had promised that he would take her into town on the next free day that they shared. He had still wished that they could have spent the day in bed, but he still wanted to keep her happy.

He made his way to the office and found his cup of tea, sitting on his desk. It was bordering on cold but if he drank it quickly, then it would still be drinkable. He drunk it in a few quick gulps, yet it was still lovely. Grace always made the best cups of tea. She seemed to add a little bit of love, in each cup of tea she made for him and the love seemed to make them the best cups of tea he had ever had.

He then remembered his present to Grace. He rushed back into the bedroom and slid it into his roomy jacket pocket. As soon as he had done this, Grace re-entered the office.

"Oh, you've managed to pull yourself out of bed then."

"No need to sound so surprised." He told her

"I am surprised though." She informed him "Not 10 minutes ago you were lazing away in bed."

"Well I wanted my love to come back to bed, and spend the day with me." He complained "Seeing as I couldn't get that, there was no point staying in bed."

"You can't get everything you want, my dear." She said lightly before kissing him gently on the cheek.

"True, true. At least I will be able to spend the day with my love, even if it isn't in the way that I want."

"Does that mean we can go into the town, and spend the day?" Grace asked enthusiastically

"Yes, darling. I promised I would take you, and I never break a promise."

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Well, I never break my promises to you." he rectified

"I hope that that's true."

"I'll always try."

"Now, come on, come on." She pulled him towards the door

"Give me a minute." He pulled his hand from her grasp and went to find his jacket

"Hurry up." She called to him

"I'm coming, Grace stop being impatient." He quickly reappeared with his jacket "See, here I am."

"Now can we go?" she asked impatiently

"Yes, my dear." He pulled her up from the armchair

She pulled him all the way to the car and was close to pulling him into the car as well.

"Patients." Roland told her

When they were finally out of sight of the hospital, she grasped his hand and inched closer to him.

"Are you happy, Grace?" he asked her

"You know I am."

He smiled at her

"Really though, Grace. Are you happy?" he looked at her seriously

"Yes, I am." she took his hand a placed a kiss on his palm

He smiled at her.

"I'm glad."

"Are you happy?" she redirected his question back at him

"Probably happier than I should be." He answered

"Are we not allowed happiness?" Grace asked, confused

"Of course we are, it just seems so strange that we have managed to maintain what we have."

"That's true, navigating a secret relationship is a little hard." She agreed

They soon reached the town. The hospital was well known in the town and even out of uniform quite a few people, recognised Grace and Roland. They parked the car near the hotel. Roland helped Grace down from the car, then pulled her towards the hotel.

"Roland where are we going?"

"I booked us a room at the hotel." He explained

"We're only here for a part of the day though."

"Ah, well not exactly."

"What?"

"I might have been a little cheeky and extended our leave to tomorrow." He confessed

"Roland, you can't do that!"

"Well I already have." He told her "You aren't angry are you?"

"Of course not." She squeezed his hand

"Come on then."

He pulled along, and into the hotel. After collecting their key from reception, he ushered her up the stairs to their room. Before letting her into the room though, he covered he eyes.

"Roland!" she yelped

"It's a surprise." He insisted "It's the first time, we've spent time away from the hospital together."

"Just tell me next time." She said, slightly annoyed

"Yes madam, now walk forwards."

He walked her into the middle of the room before removing his hands.

"It's lovely, Roland. Thank you for getting us this time together." She thanked him

"I'm glad." He pulled her into his arms

The pair spent the rest of the day walking around the town, looking through the shops and simply enjoying each other's company. They had little free time to spend together at the hospital, because of the constant work and the number of people that came into the hospital. The only time they were ever truly alone, was during the evening when they sat snuggled on the armchairs in the office. As the day came to an end, Roland and Grace found themselves cuddled up in bed.

"Grace?"

"Hmm." She responded

"Thank you."

"What for?" she sat up and looked at him in surprise

"For spending the day with me." He told her

"You made it possible. You extended our leave."

"I wouldn't have done it, if you weren't with me." Roland explained

"Love you, Roland."

"Love you too, Grace."

There was a moment of comfortable silence.

"Grace?"

"Yes, Roland."

"Will you marry me?"

"What?" she shot up, from her lying position

"Not now, but when we can."

Roland then leaned down and looked for his jacket. He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it for her to see.

"I've even brought a ring for you. I wanted to do this right, Grace."

There was silence once again.

"Roland…..I don't know what to say." She stuttered

"Does that mean, your answer is 'no'?" he looked anxious

"Oh, Roland of course I'll marry you!" she shouted hugging him close

"That's a relief. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, if you said no." he looked delighted with her answer

He carefully took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger.

"I think this was always meant to happen." He whispered to her

"Maybe. It could all have been very different."

 **The End.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me and this story. Please give me one last review.**


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